1. Field of the Subject Disclosure
The present subject disclosure relates to mobile communication devices. More specifically, the present subject disclosure relates to sharing network services among mobile communication devices.
2. Background of the Subject Disclosure
Mobile communication devices, such as cellular phones, have become a common tool of everyday life. Cellular telephones are no longer used simply to place telephone calls. With the number of available features rapidly increasing, cellular telephones are now used for storing addresses, keeping a calendar, reading e-mails, drafting documents, etc. These devices are small enough that they can be carried in a pocket or purse all day, allowing a user to stay in contact almost anywhere. Recent devices have become highly functional, providing applications useful to business professionals as well as the casual user.
Cellular networks have increased the amount of cellular coverage and services available to consumers. Cellular consumers have the option of enjoying services like data, Short Message Service (SMS), video conference, conference calling, long distance, roaming, etc. However, not every user has these services available.
Family plans have become popular as well. These plans offer minutes and/or bandwidth that the family can share. However, there is nothing outside of family plans that allow any sharing. Presently, there is no way to share the data service between users. For instance, users may need access to data, but don't currently subscribe to a data plan. There is a need for users to have the ability to share their services with other users.
In some instances, the service is not as desired as the result. For instance, a user may access a map on their telephone using GPS and a data service. A friend of the user may wish to access that same map. In another instance, a user may not have a cellular signal at all, but can communicate with a friend's cellular telephone through BLUETOOTH, WiFi, etc.
What is needed in the art is a system that offers sharing of network services.